What About Experience?

By Scott Galindez
t r u t h o u t | Perspective

Tuesday 02 January 2008

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Despite having the best resume, Gov. Bill Richardson has not been able to get out of single digits in most polls. (Photo: Scott Galindez / Truthout)

Des Moines - Taking nothing away from the three frontrunners on the Democratic side, I find it odd the three most experienced candidates have not gained any traction in the polls.

Gov. Bill Richardson

Iowa native and Caucus regular William Adams is a strong supporter of Bill Richardson. He believes that Richardson has the best resume to be president and argues that JFK was the last person to not serve as a governor or vice president and get elected president. Adams pointed out that that Romney and Huckabee are former governors, and will argue that the Democratic nominee has no executive experience, unless it is Richardson.

Adams supported John Edwards four years ago, and is leaning towards him as a second choice. But, to him, Edwards's message is not the same as four years ago. Other Richardson supporters I spoke with on New Year's Eve were not as forthcoming. They plan to reach out to and try to make Richardson viable, which is not an unrealistic goal. Governor Richardson is very popular and is the second choice of many.

Richardson is the current governor of New Mexico. He has previously served as a US Representative, ambassador to the United Nations and as the US secretary of energy. He was chairman of the 2004 Democratic National Convention as well as chairman of the Democratic Governors' Association in 2005 and 2006, overseeing the Democrats' recapturing of a majority of the country's governorships. Richardson has been recognized for negotiating the release of hostages, American servicemen and political prisoners in North Korea, Iraq and Cuba. He has been nominated five times for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Sen. Joseph Biden

Senator Biden has been in the United States Senate for 35 years. Elected in 1972 at the age of 29, only three Democrats have served longer: Robert Byrd, Ted Kennedy and Daniel Inouye. Biden argues he has been to Iraq more than all of the other candidates combined, and that his plan for getting out of Iraq passed Congress, but was vetoed by Bush.

Thirty-five years in the Senate has not helped Joe Biden gain support in his run for president. (Photo: Scott Galindez / Truthout)

He says he is prepared to sit in the oval office today and react to world events. He closes his stump speeches asking the crowd to close their eyes and picture the other candidates sitting in the oval office during a crisis. "Ask yourself, are they prepared to make the right decision or do they need on-the-job training?"

The senator also points out he has been warning us for a long time that Pakistan is the most dangerous threat on the planet, not Iran.

While there is no doubt 35 years in the Senate is very impressive, one possible reason many Democrats are leery of Biden is he had his chance already and was the frontrunner in 1988 until the campaign ended when he was accused of plagiarizing a speech by Neil Kinnock, then leader of the British Labor Party. Though Biden had correctly credited the original author in all speeches but one, the one where he failed to make mention of the originator was caught on video. In the video, Biden is filmed repeating a stump speech by Kinnock, with only minor modifications.

Sen. Christopher Dodd

Dodd's political career has included three terms as a Congressman from Connecticut; and he's currently in his fifth term as a senator. During this time, Dodd has served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was chairman of the Democratic National Committee and is now the chairman of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.

He authored the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, which provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for personal and health issues, and formed the first Senate Children's Caucus.

Dodd is running commercials touting his accomplishments and finishes one by asking what his opponents have done. Dodd has been very effective in the Senate. It is true the frontrunners in the race don't have the portfolio of legislative successes that he does.

So why are Richardson, Biden and Dodd not catching on?

Despite over 30 years in Congress and a stellar legislative record, presidential candidate Sen. Christopher Dodd has not been able to gain any traction in the polls. (Photo: Scott Galindez / Truthout)

Some of it may be style, but the poll-driven media has something to do with it. I believe the media starts shaping the raceway too early by polling before candidates get a chance to introduce themselves to the voters. The result is those with the best name recognition lead in the early polls, and those without are instantly labeled as not having enough support to be viable. If the media waited until the last few weeks to start putting out polls, and covered all the candidates equally, I'm willing to bet candidates that are currently in the second or third tier would have done better.

I am guilty of covering Obama, Hillary and Edwards first; but I haven't been doing that for a year. When I got to Iowa, the corporate media had already narrowed the race to three. Kucinich had already packed up and gone to New Hampshire. I don't think I could have found Mike Gravel if I had tried.

While Biden, Dodd and Richardson deny an interest in the vice presidency, their experience would be an asset to whoever wins the nomination.

Campaign Notes

Dennis Kucinich encouraged his Iowa supporters yesterday to support Barack Obama in Iowa precincts where his campaign does not reach the 15 percent threshold. With the race as close as it is, every vote counts.

Bill Richardson stood on the stage, at just before midnight on New Year's Eve, and delivered the following toast:

"To George Bush's last year in office, may it pass quickly."

After toasting his supporters and staff, he went on to say:

"To our brave men and women serving overseas in Iraq. May they keep safe, and may we have the courage and backbone here at home to keep fighting to bring them home.

To 2008, may it be the year we take this country back to the principles upon which it was founded."

On New Year's Day, family seemed to be the theme. All of the candidates traveled and campaigned with their families, even extended families.

Elizabeth Edwards was upbeat at a rally in Des Moines at the Steel Workers Hall. The Edwardses are on a 36-hour marathon that included campaign stops in the wee hours of the morning on January 2. They will close the marathon with a concert/rally in Des Moines, under the theme "This is Our Country," featuring John Mellencamp.

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Scott Galindez is Truthout's Washington, DC Bureau Chief.

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